Athletic ball



Sept. 29, 1959 R, G w TAL 2,906,533

Original Fi l e d F e b 2 8 1 9 52 INVENTORS a Q. W a W ATTORNEY5 United States Patent ATHLETIC BALL Arthur R. Gow, Hamden, and Paul S. Matlsen, Bethany, Conn., assiguors to The Seamless Rubber Company, New Haven, 'Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Continuation of application Serial No. 273,886, February This application May 15, 1957, Serial No.

2 Claims. '(Cl. 273-65) This application is -a continuation of application Serial No. 273,886, filed February 28, 1952, and since abandoned'.

This invention relates to ellipsoidal footballs used in the game referred to as college football.

In the game employing an ellipsoidal ball and involving with other features the execution of passes, the players have been assisted in gripping the ball by the laces commonly used, and also by formations such-as longitudinal grooving commonly provided upon the surfaces of footballs. In rubber-covered footballs the laces and the longitudinal grooving of the leather-covered balls have commonly been replaced by imitative elements or features. With rubber-covered balls the players have also had "the benefit of such surface roughness as could be provided upon the surface of rubber covers in the natureof pebbling or the like which'is imitative of the surface of leather.

These features, however, have not provided a satisfactory and effective non-slip surface upon the ball, whether covered with leather or with rubber. The laces are located only at the middle portion of the ball and at only one point in the circumference or ball girth, and it is apparent that for that reason there are many conditions encountered where hand grip against the laces is impossible or ineffective. As regards the longitudinal grooving commonly employed on the ball surface, this is usually characterized by rounded formations longitudinally disposed and only four in number, and these are not of much effect in enhancing the hand grip, especially under some conditions. The roughening of the ball surface in the nature of pebbling provides projections which are rounded and very shallow, and slipping of the hand upon such a surface is of the commonestoccurrence.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a ball, especially a rubber-covered football of-ellipsoidal shape, with means providing a more effective grip upon the ball as it is handled, thrown and caught.

Another object is to make the grasping of the ball more effective so as to reduce fumbling.

Another object is to provide a securely grippable ball of the type indicated, which is an improvement upon present balls by reason of the provision of an effective gripping surface which is of large area and of uniform character with respect to different areas of the ball surface.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an ellipsoidal football embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation of a portion of this ball adjacent the middle of the ball; and

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the ball portion shown in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, an ellipsoidal rubber-covered molded football is indicated at 20, the same being provided in this case at the center of the major axis with an inflating valve 21. This valve has a stem located in an aperture in the ball cover, and the valve is carried by an inflatable rubber bladder 22. The rubber cover of the grip on the ball by the palm, thumb and 2 ball is indicated at 23 (Fig. 3). Between the cover 23 and the bladder 22 an intermediate layer 24 of resilient rubber is interposed. I

The molded cover 23 may be made'of natural rubber or synthetic rubber, or other elastomer of rubberlike material, and it cOVers the entire ball surface except for the inflation valve. This cover has molded thereon and in one piece therewith ribbing which extends transversely with respect to the major ball 'axis and in this form extends over the entire ball area except for the inflation valve. The ribs are substantially spaced from each other to provide intervening spaces between thebases of the ribs into which the surface of the players hand may be extended when the ball is grasped by the player. Here the lateral spacing between the ribs is substantially equal to the width of the rib, and in this case the .groove between two adjacent ribs has substantially the same profile as the rib formation. lnthis particular embodiment, adjacent ribs are spaced apart at a distance of ,4, of an inch, there being sixteen ribs to the inch. These dimensions, however, are given by Way of example only.

The football should be of the form and dimensions which are official. The curve of the ball side in the longitudinal direction for the greater part of the ball length has a radius which is relatively large, and at the tip or pointed end of the ball this curve merges into one drawn on a smaller radius".

The rib formation as described provides a ball surface which greatly increases the grip of the players hand on the ball in handling, passing and catching. The transverse disposition of the ribs with respect to the major axis, together with the multiplicity of fine ribs, enables the ball to be securely grasped or gripped by one or both hands of the player, and, while it is not necessary for the ribbing to extend completely to the ends of the ball, the ribbing preferably extends throughout the greater part of the ball length, and therefore increases the effectiveness of the grip upon the ball without regard to the region grasped or gripped or contacted by the hand. In a ball of ellipsoidal shape, where the ends are relatively pointed or acute, it is important to provide a good grip whenthe ball is gripped wholly in the end region or mostly in the end region, for thereason that the wedge-iike shape or formation of this region of the ball ordinarily makes it especially difiicult to hold it securely by the grasp of one hand. The act of grasping tends to expel the ball from the grasp. By the present structure this tendency is counteracted or inhibited for the'reason that the fine ribs or ridges transverse to the long axis of the ball, by being engaged with the grasping surfaces of the hand, exert a very effective interlocking and holding effect even where the contacting surfaces of hand and ball are moist or greasy or otherwise in what might be'called a lubricated condition.

It is obvious that in holding the ball in both hands, with the hands against opposite side portions of the ball, a large ribbed area of the ball will be contacted, and under such conditions the ball can be very securely gripped and locked so that it cannot be dislodged easily. It will also be noted that, when the ball is carried by the ball carrier in running, the ball being held against the bent arm, the hand of the player can have a very secure fingers, the ribs being generally transverse to the hand. It will also be apparent that in catching or receiving the ball on a kick or simulation of lacing, it is provided with effective gripping provisions over substantially its entire area. Being a laceless ball, it does not have to be turned in the hands of the player before being kicked, so that valuable time is saved in getting off punts. Furthermore, there are many instances where the player attempts to get a firm grip on lacing and finds lacing an obstruction rather than a help. The present ball can be handled and kicked without preliminary orientation, and it does not lack effective gripping and handling provisions for it has .a surface affording a secure grip throughout the ball surface, and, moreover, it provides an expelling-inhibiting grasp when the ball is gripped by one hand near the end, which is a great advantage in passing and in pitch-outs. The spaced-apart ribs are of a profile and the intervening grooves between the rib bases are of a profile to effect a real interlock with the players hand, a substantial number of the ribs being engaged by a finger and a substantial number engaged by a palm of a grasping hand, and it is noted that the ribs are located throughout the middle zone or area where lacing has customarily been placed, and also throughout zones or areas extending entirely around the ball slightly centerward of the extremities thereof, and, in fact, substantially covering the entire surface of the ball except for the inflation valve.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the rib 27 is an asymmetrical rib having a face 28 at one side which is substantially normal to the ball surface, and a sloping face 29 at the other side which in this particular case is located at an angle of about 45 to the normal face. The two faces meet at a sharp summit. Here the ribs are divided into two groups, each group having the normal faces of its ribs disposed toward the center of the ball with reference to its longitudinal axis. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, there is a groove 30 of rectangular cross section at the center of the ball providing a boundary for the two groups. This is a very advantageous structure inasmuch as it inhibits dislodgement or expelling of the ball when grasped by a hand at one side of the ball center or at or near one end of the ball, such hand being directed generally lengthwise of the ball. In such case the finger or fingers of the player are projected upwardly and over the sloping face of a rib in a manner such that the tip of the finger extended over the rib summit has a locking effect, resisting dislocation of the ball in a direction toward the finger extremity. The sharp angle at the summit of a rib formed and disposed in this way brings about this advantage. In this case, the annular ribs may, if desired, be interrupted at one or more points in the ball circumference.

The disclosure herein is understood to be by way of example, and various modifications and detail changes may be made without departing from the principles of the invention and the scope of the claims.

What we claim'is:

1. An inflatable ellipsoidal ball of the carcass type with pointed ends or tips and having a composite Wall including an inner bladder layer and an outer cover layer of rubber extending over the entire area of the ball except for the area of an inflation valve, said ball being a laceless football devoid of a lacing-like obstruction to the handling of the ball and which can be handled and kicked without need of preliminary orientation, said cover layer extending continuously and uniformly around the ball girth and provided exteriorly with molded ribbing in one piece with said cover layer, said ribbing comprising upstanding ribs extending around the ball circumference at substantially to the major axis and spaced from each other to form intervening valleys between the bases of the ribs with bottoms of substantial width between the ribs, said ribs being of such size and spacing that a substantial number thereof are engaged by a finger and a substantial number thereof are engaged by a palm of a grasping hand, said ribs and said intervening valleys being of a profile to interlock the ribbing with the hand surface with portions of the hand surface projected into said valleys, said ribs being located throughout the middle zone or area of the ball where lacing has customarily been placed and throughout zones or areas extending entirely around the ball slightly centerward of the tips and also throughout zones interconnecting the aforesaid zones or areas, the ribs being asymmetrical and divided at the middle of the major axis to provide two groups, each rib of each group having a face substantially normal to the ball surface and a second face at substantially 45 to the first face rising to a sharp summit, the said normal faces of each group being faced toward the middle of the ball, the ribs slightly centerward of the ball tips affording a secure expelling-inhibiting grip of a hand holding the ball by one end.

2. An inflatable football comprising upstanding ribs formed on the outer cover of the ball and extending around the ball circumference, each such rib lying in a plane which is perpendicular to the major axis of the football, the ribs being spaced from each other to form intervening valleys therebetween, said ribs being of such a size and spacing that a substantial number thereof are engaged by a finger and a substantial number thereof are engaged by a palm of a grasping hand, said ribs being asymmetrical and divided at the middle of the major axis of the football into two groups, the ribs of each group having faces substantially normal to the ball surface and sloped faces, the normal face and sloped face of each rib rising to a sharp summit, the said normal faces of each group being faced toward the middle of the ball.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,543,724 Roberts June 30, 1925 1,559,117 Maynard Oct. 27, 1925 2,011,760 Gallinant Aug. 20, 1935 2,129,238 Riddell Sept. 6, 1938 2,244,503 Riddell June 3, 1941 2,494,806 Gibson Jan. 17, 1950 

